‘This shouldn’t happen’: Del Oro football player collapses during 115-degree practice
Rico Petrini is a stout kid who loves web design projects, family and football.
So says his father, also named Rico.
“He’s an ox,” the proud pop said.
Petrini collapsed twice late Tuesday afternoon on the Del Oro High School football field during the hottest temperatures ever recorded in Sacramento. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound lineman was immediately tended to by coaches and an on-site trainer, rushed to the trainer’s room and then soon rushed to the emergency room to be treated for heat stroke. Tuesday’s practice was shortened and water breaks were mandated every 10 to 15 minutes.
Petrini’s parents were mortified at what they saw at the hospital, and they said Wednesday they are frustrated, alarmed and concerned that an afternoon practice happened when much of the Sacramento region either held practices before school or after the sun set.
“Rico’s mother (Kim) told me Rico looked dead when she got to the hospital, and I was on my way,” Petrini’s dad told The Bee over the phone. “His muscles were all rigid. He was unconscious. The paramedic from Loomis Fire told me that, fortunately, our son’s young enough and healthy enough to make a full recovery, but if it was me, at my age, I’d be in shock and I’d be dead.”
He added, “This is something not to take lightly. We took him home late (Tuesday). The hospital was overflowing with heat stroke victims. He’s foggy but we think he’ll be OK. The emergency room nurse called me this morning to check on him and asked, ‘He’s not going to practice again this week, right?’”
No. Petrini the student will not attend the Loomis school the rest of this week as he recovers. Nor will he practice anytime soon, his father said. He may not play the rest of this season as heat-stroke victims become more susceptible to the conditions. There was relief in the voice of the father, who recalled how his son was in a non-responsive state when he was first admitted, then later was able to speak, but not much, due to a severe headache.
Petrini added that, “I have no animosity toward (Del Oro head football coach) Mike Maben, but I’m concerned with all the things that went wrong. My son always practices hard. He wants to start in games. There’s no slow speed with him. There’s a collective burden of responsibility here.”
He added, “They had black helmets on, it’s 115 degrees and it’s hot enough to fry eggs.”
Petrini said he understands hot weather happens and that football isn’t always easy. The Bay Area native played four years at linebacker at Oregon State. The Bee was not able to reach Del Oro athletic director Jill Butler or principal Kim Barry. Emails to Barry bounced back as undeliverable and the voicemail boxes for the administration office and athletic department were full Wednesday afternoon. Maben did not immediately return multiple messages seeking comment.
Placer Union High School District sent out a statement Wednesday night that said athletic activities will only be allowed when temperatures are below 104 degrees, and all safety guidelines will be followed.
“It is our responsibility to ensure that this won’t happen in the future,” the district said.
Petrini said he was curious as to how the Del Oro golf team, which includes his son’s twin sister Juliana, would cancel a match this week due to extreme heat but the school allowed a football practice during the hottest part of the day. Or why football players were not in the gym instead, which is what other schools in the region did.
Petrini said he was relieved to learn Del Oro practiced Wednesday before school. He said Barry called him Wednesday morning.
“She said that Del Oro didn’t have a heat practice policy in place but wanted to work with the school district to get something in place,” Petrini, Sr. said. “That would make me happy. Have a good action plan. What happened to my son ... this shouldn’t happen.”
This story was originally published September 7, 2022 at 2:33 PM.